Asparagus Risotto
Total time: 35 minutes
Usually, when produce is at it's peak, the simplest preparation is the best. This works well as a main course with a bit of country bread, or a side dish to grilled or roasted chicken.
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano), 112gr, 4oz
- 1/2 cup dry, white wine, 120gr, 4.2oz
- 2 1/4 cups chicken stock, 500gr, 17.6oz
- 6oz asparagus, 170gr, 6oz
- 1 small onion or half of large one, 88gr, 3.1oz
- 1 tbs butter, 14.2gr, .56oz
- 1 tbs fresh or dried chives
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 50gr, 1.8oz
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- Prepare asparagus, cutting to 1 1/2 inch length, reserving tips.
- Finely chop onion.
- In medium saucepan heat butter; add onion and sauté until transparent
- Add rice and sauté, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/2 cup of stock and all of the asparagus, except tips, and stir. (No need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.)
- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/2 cup and continue adding 1/2 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before the last 2 '1/2 cups' are added put in the asparagus tips and the chives.
- Before the last 1/2 cup is added taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it 1/4 cup at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed.
- At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - it will not hold it's shape on a plate.
- Add the Parmesan, stir, pour into a bowl and serve immediately. It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be quite stiff. The risottos that we have eaten in northern Italy have all been served in soup plates (flattish bowls) and eaten with a spoon - not a fork.
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Nutrition Information |
General Technical Details and Disclaimer:
Measurements are actual measurements used for calculation. If there are no values the nutritional numbers were simply too small.
I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it. I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.
My information comes from my own digital, computerized scale and the USDA Nutrient Data Library: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/
